Covered reusable buttons



y 1957 L. H'. MORIN COVERED REUSABLE BUTTONS Filed Feb. 24, 1953 INVENTOR I LOUIS H. MORIN BY M 10 United States atent COVERED REUSABLE BUTTONS Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N. Y. Application February 24, 1953, Serial No. 338,259 4 Claims. (Cl. 24-113) The novel features of the invention will be best under' stood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, inwhich certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through one form of buttonwhich I' employ, with elevation.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the button, as seen in Fig. l, with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification; and Y V Fig. 4 is a rear view of the button shown in Fig. 3 with part of the construction broken away and in section.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I have shown a button comprising a domed button body 10, including an integral shank 11, having at its inner end a loop or eye 12. The shank 11 has longitudinally spaced annular serrations 13.

At 14 I have shown a covering or facing of cloth or other material, having an inturned edge portion 14' arranged upon the inner surface of the body at the periphery thereof.

At 15 I have shown a gripping and holding washer, the washer having offset teeth 16 at the peripheral edge thereof for engaging and gripping the edge portion 14. At 17 is shown an offset hub on the washer, the hub part of the construction shown in being split at circumferentially spaced intervals, as shown at 18, to form, intermediate the splits, spring fingers or jaws 19 which are adapted to engage the serrations 13 in firmly retaining the teeth 16 of the washer 15 in engagement with the edge portion 14.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have shown a modification, wherein a dome-shaped button body 20 is employed having an integral shank 21, which is threaded, as seen at 22. At 23 is shown a facing, similar to the facing 14, and having an inturned edge portion 24 arranged upon the inner surface of the body 20.

At 25 is shown a gripping and holding washer, the washer having an offset tooth edge portion 26 adapted to engage the edge portion 24. The central portion of the washer has circumferentially spaced long slits 27 and intermediate short slits 28, the slits collectively forming spring fingers 29.

At 30 I have shown a button eye or nut having an internally threaded tubular portion 31 for engagement with the threads 22 of the shank 21. The nut 30 has an extending annular flange 32, outwardly of which is a loop or eye 33. On the inner surface of the flange 32 "ice are circumferentially spaced ratchet teeth 34, so arranged that, in the tightening direction of rotation of the nut, the fingers 29 will ratchet over the teeth 34, but will hold the nut against rotation in a loosening direction. It will be noted that the slits 28 are wide to provide relatively small fingers 29 to operate on the ratchet teeth 34.

With both forms of construction, it will be understood that the facings of the buttons can be removed from time to time, if the same become worn, or for purposes of applying diflferent facings thereto, by simply flexing the washer 15 with a suitable tool, the fingers 19 will move on one of the serrations to raise said spring fingers out of engagement with the serrations and then place a thin walled tube on the outer serrations and beneath the raised spring fingers; then release the tool pressure and said fingers will slide outwardly over said tube. In Figs. 3 and 4, the washer 25 is pressed inwardly to disengage the fingers 29 from the ratchet teeth while rotating the nut 30 in the loosening direction. It will also be apparent that, in the application of the facings, inward movement of the washers not only grips the edge portions 14, 24, but also draws these edge portions firmly so that the facing becomes tautly stretched over the outer surface of the domed button body.

With the construction employed, an extended long life.

use button is provided at a relatively reasonable cost. In this connection, it will be understood that the body 10, including its integral shank 13 and loop 12, can be formed as a cast or moulded product. In-like manner, the body 20, including its integral shank 21, can be cast or moulded as can also the nut 30. With these moulded parts are used the spring sheet metal washers to establish the gripping and holding characteristics of the button.

It.will be apparent that, in the two forms of construc tion shown, the washers have, at the periphery thereof, circumferentially spaced teeth which are adapted to engage the inturned edge portion of a facing in tautly supporting the facing on the outer convex surface of the button body, the washer supporting the inturned edge portion firmly on the inner concaved surface of the button body. In both instances, the shank of the button body includes projecting means such, for example, as the annular serrations 13 and the ratchet teeth 34 which operatively engage the circumferentially spaced spring fingers centrally of the washer in support of the washer in operative position. Further, by flexing the body portion of the Washer in the direction of the button body, the spring fingers can be moved out of engagement with the projections in the operation of removing the facing of the button body.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A reusable covered button comprising a domed button body having convex and concaved surfaces, the concaved surface including an integral projecting shank centrally thereof, a facing adapted to be arranged on the outer convex surface of said body with edge portions of the facing arranged on the inner concaved surface of said body, a washer arranged upon the concaved surface of the button body, the periphery of the washer having circumferentially spaced teeth adapted to engage the edge portions of the facing sheet, the central portion of the washer having circumferentially spaced spring fingers, means on said shank engaging said spring fingers in bolding the washer in position supporting the facing taut on the convex surface of the button body, said means comprising a member in threaded engagement with said shank, and said member having circumferentially spaced ratchet teeth operatively engaging the spring fingers of said;washer1inlretaining sa' position. a

2. A reusable coveredbuttofi comprising a drn'edbiifton body having convex and; concaved surfaces, the con-- caved. surface including an...integral. projecting shank.

d nember in washer-gripping centrally -thereof,'-. a. facingadaptedjtd beiarr'ange'dlon the. 3

outer. convex surfaceof said body "withfedge portions l ofthe facingarr'ang'ed on. the inneri'conavedl'surfaeeoff} said body, 'a. washer arranged .upon .the .concavedsurface'.

of the button body, ."the periphery or; the. washerlhavingi circumferentially'spacediteeth adapted "to engage the edge portions. of the facing sheet, the. central. portion of the washer having. circumferentially? spaced spring-Zv fingers means on said shankengaging saidspringfingers in holding the .washer in, position supporting the facingtaut. OIl V the convex; surface of the buttdn body, -said means comprising a. me'mberindhreaded: engagement with said shank, said member having .circumferentially spaced ratchet: teeth operatively 1 engaging the spring fingers of said washer in retaining said member inwasher gripping 7 position,;. and 'the body portion of said. washer. being adapted tobe flexed in movement'of the spring fingers out of engagementrwith the ratchet teeth in detaching caveclv surface includingv an. .integralrprojecting; shank centrally thereof, a facing adapted/tube arranged .on :the

outer convex: surface :of. said body with edge '1 portions ofthe facingarranged on: the inner concaved surface ofsaid body,- a washer arranged upon'the concaved's'urface of the button body, theperiphery of the Washerhaving circumferentially spaced-teeth adapted to engage the'edge portions of the facing sheet, thei-centralportion of the washer having circumferentially spaced spring fingers,

means on said shank. engaging said spring fingers in holdingthe washer in position supporting the facing taut on threaded engagement with the shank, an annular flange on the niif, saidnange having" circumfrentiany spae'd ratchet teeth, and said teeth operatively engaging the spring fingers in retaining the nut against loosening when said nut is in washer holding position.

4. A reusable covered button comprising a domed button body having convex and concaved surfaces, the concaved' surface including an; integral projecting shank centrally thereof, afacing adapted to .be arranged on the outer convex surface of said body with edge portions of the facing arranged on the inner concaved surface of said body,-a.washer arranged upon the concavedsurface of the button body, the peripheryof the Washer having circumferentially spaced-=teethadapted-to engage the edge portions of the facing sheet, the central portion of the washer having circumferentially spaced spring fingers, means on said shank engaging said spring fingers in holding the washerin-positionrsupportingvthe facingtautxon the convex surfaceof-the button body, said. shank being externally. threaded, said means comprising a nut. iii-- threaded engagement with the shank, an annular flange on the nut, said flange having circumferentially spaced ratchet.t'eeth,.said teeth-operativelyengaging the springlingers in retaining'lthe nutagain'st loosening whensaidv nut isin washer holding position, and said nut having an ye RefrencestCited in the file ofthis patent UNITED; STATESPATENTS 2,602,975 Wolfe July.15,.19'52 2,685,722 Danco Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 17,421 Great Britain 19.1s 96,178 Switzerland Sept. 16,1922 177,925. Great Britain Apr..13, 1922 890,363

France Nov. 2, 1943:

Winn May25, 1915' 

